


Bedtime Stories 101

by saltyseatea



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Bedtime Stories, Exactly What It Says on the Tin, Family Fluff, Gen, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Light-Hearted, POV Third Person, Slow To Update, Tags Are Fun, Tags May Change, each and every chapter is named and based off one song from the undertale ost in order, in which a child learns about the underground via the entire undertale ost, okay that's basically it. LET'S DO THIS, so just prepare yourself for possible cliffhangers, some chapters might be quite short. just a heads up!!, yes. even long elevator and so sorry! and other songs. all of them., you know i probably won't finish this entire thing. there's so many SONGS FISJGRIJ
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:08:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27907987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saltyseatea/pseuds/saltyseatea
Summary: "...Mama?""Oh? What is it, little one?""I'm too excited to go to sleep... Can you tell me a bedtime story? Pretty please?""Hmm... Oh, alright, but only if you promise to go to sleep after.""I promise!""What do you want me to read to you? Peek-a-boo with Fluffy Bunny, Happy Hopping, or...""Mmmm... Can I hear a different story?""Oh, I see... Well, what do you want me to read?""Mama, I want to hear a story from you! You're a very good storyteller, so you must have many, many great stories to tell!""...Well, lie your head down, child, and let me tell you a story that I hold very dear to my heart.""Long ago, two races ruled over Earth..."
Relationships: Mom & Child
Comments: 44
Kudos: 9





	1. Once Upon A Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's dark. And it's time to rest.  
> What better way is there to fall asleep than with a bedtime story?  
> Oh! Would you like to hear one?  
> Let me see... Ah, here is the book.  
> Get comfortable, as it is quite a long story.  
> ...Ahem.  
> ["Once Upon A Time..."](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B2TPEZTwWA)

It's dark outside. 

And gradually, the world is being put to rest, one person at a time.

Under the light of the crescent moon, the night slowly comes to life. Everywhere, small lifeforms pop up from bushes, holes in trees, and hiding spots all over the area.

After a while, nothing seems to have changed. But now, the land was now teeming with quiet voices that you wouldn't hear over the hustle and bustle of the day, speaking a song of solitude.

You're not alone in the dark, despite how much the silence may tell you that you are. It may be quiet, but the night has just as much life as the day.

The small voices are there to greet you, keeping you company when you think you're alone. The moon will welcome you with open arms, coaxing you to rest. The stars whisper sweet lullabies of their stories to your soul, to give you a break from the energy of the morning.

The night's there for you when the day's too much. And if you listen closely, you might be able to discover the secrets of the dusk...

The sun has already gone to bed at this time, leaving behind white specks of light scattered in the sky. Stars from eons away are shining softly, dotting the inky-black sky above.

This night's sky was particularly clear, with only a few gray clouds hovering over the land, like soundless sentries carrying out their duties. 

Underneath the giant leaf canopy of the trees, nocturnal creatures came out and sang their songs, gradually filling the silent forest with life. Trees stood tall and proud in a cluster of logs and leaves, only ever so slightly shifting in the breeze when it blows by. 

The smell of grass and clean dew filled the invigorating night air, swirling around the atmosphere. Faintly, the rustling of the fields accompanies the chirping of the crickets, with silence gently washing over silent souls and the rolling fields of green...

Tonight, the moonlight shines down into the windows of a small home located somewhere in the world. And living in this quaint little house was a small family of two- a loving mother and a curious little child. And for this small family, it was bedtime.

The light beams onto the clothes of a bent-over silhouette, who is currently sorting through something. Soft humming fills a warmly lit room, the tune sounding vaguely like a long-forgotten melody.

(There's something about it that makes it feel... special.)

"La dee dah, la dee doo..." Hands shuffle through a chest filled with fluffy treasures, scanning the pile of stuffed animals.

"Dah doo dee, hmmm hooo..." Two toys are picked up; one worn teddy bear, and one button-eyed puppy. The moonlit figure glances between the two, pondering something. "Which one of you shall be tonight's cuddle boo? Hum dee da..."

As the person in the room studies the two stuffed animals, there's happy giggling coming from the doorway behind them. There's the sound of someone energetically running back and forth through a long hallway, dancing carefreely. 

Their laughs bounce off the cream-colored walls, filling the air with mirth. The person chuckles at the chaos that is currently going on in the hall, absentmindedly tapping their feet to a simple beat. 

"Hmmm, mmmhmm..." After a while of thinking, the figure takes one out from the pile and carries it out from the box.

"Mr. French Toastie, I call upon you to fulfill your duty," the figure says authoritatively, staring into the beady black eyes of the brown bear. They then break out into soft laughter, carrying the dapper bear with them as they stand up straight.

For a moment, they look up and glance out the window in front of them. The grass fields are swaying and the moon is glowing, and the faint sounds of the nightly animals leak inside the house. They then look away, since the moonbeams were too bright for them to look at.

Suddenly, something thuds on the floor, which is immediately followed by a soft 'oof!'. It's not long before the running resumes, though. And without missing a beat, the figure closes the chest with a 'click!' and turns around, facing the open doorframe behind them.

"Sweetie, it's bedtime," they call, tenderly holding the stuffed animal in their arms. The footsteps in the hallway halt in their tracks, but it doesn't take long for them to start going again. The hasty tapping of small feet gets louder as someone approaches the room, and...

A small child shyly peeks their head from behind the doorway, gazing up at the figure. "Hi, Mama!"

The apparent mother figure smiles. "Hello, my child. It is time for bed," she says, "Do you have your bedside water ready?"

The child nods, stepping into view with a toothy smile. "I put it in my drawer earlier! I am prepared!" They exclaim, feeling proud of themselves.

Their mom's smile widens. "I am proud of you, little one! But first, come here," she coos, "give Mama a hug before she tucks you in."

Crouching down, the mother spreads her arms open wide. A big smile forms on the child's face, and they launch themselves eagerly into their mother's hold, hugging her tightly.

The woman laughs, soft, yet sweet, and picks the small human up, cradling them in her arms. This makes the child squeal, and instinctively, they grab onto the sleeves of their mom's shirt as she carries her child over to a comfortable looking bed nestled in the corner of the room.

Slowly, she twirls across the bedroom like a ballroom dancer, murmuring sweet tunes to the little one's ears. The child's bright eyes droop down slightly, comforted by their mother's sweet embrace. "Hmm, dee doo.."

The mother stops in front of a small bed, still humming. She fixes her hold on her child before pulling down the brightly colored covers and dusting off the mattress. She places her child on their bed, handing them their teddy bear for the night. The child excitedly lies down and adjusts their position, cuddling Mr. Frenchie tightly. 

On their bedside table, their mother pulls out a sippy cup from the drawers and sets them on the table's surface. She flicks the table lamp on, which illuminates the room with a soft light. She then turns to her child and asks, "Do you need anything else before Mama leaves?"

"Hmmmm..." The child hums, brows furrowed together for a moment. They then exclaim, "A hug!" They sit up in bed and open their arms wide, eyes closed happily. Their mom looks down at them, smiling sweetly. "Well, I can most certainly give you another."

She wraps her child in a warm embrace, a gentle expression on her face. It was a very warm and homely hug, and the child loved every second of it. It felt like ho...- no, it _was_ home. This was home. And home was where they belonged.

After a few moments, the child hesitantly lets go and grins up at their loving guardian. "Thank you, Mama!" they say, and in turn, their mom replies, "You are very welcome, little one."

They lie back down, hair sprawling all over their pillow. Their mother gingerly tucks them in with upturned lips, brushing stray strands of hair out of the child's eyes. 

Squinting, the child quietly speaks up, "...Mama?"

"Oh? What is it, little one?" The mother asks, watching her child twiddle their fingers. 

"I'm too excited to go to sleep..." The child says, looking up at the woman with pleading eyes. "Can you tell me a bedtime story? Pretty please?"

"Hmm..." The mother hums, not seeming too inclined to let her child stay up any longer. The child sits up and keeps on looking at her with their best cute face, silently begging her in hopes of getting some fantasy to fantasize about to end their day.

After a few minutes of thinking and being pleaded with, she relents. "Oh, alright, but only if you promise to go to sleep after."

Eagerly, the child says, "I promise!" They look like they're over the moon.

The mother sighs, a small smile on her face. "What do you want me to read to you? Peek-a-boo with Fluffy Bunny, Happy Hopping, or..."

"Mmmm... Can I hear a different story?" At this, the mother was a bit surprised. They never really wanted to stray away from their usual stories, and even if they did, it was always another one that they were familiar with.

"Oh, I see... Well, what do you want me to read?" She asks, eyebrow slightly raised.

Excitedly, the child claps their hands and looks at their parent, "Mama, I want to hear a story from you! You're a very good storyteller, so you must have many, many great stories to tell!"

...Fair enough, let's see... 

The mother pauses, thinking about something deeply. Then, she blinks and smiles, sitting down on the mattress next to her child. "...Well, lie your head down, child, and let me tell you a story that I hold very dear to my heart."

"Long ago, two races ruled over Earth..."

"HUMANS, and MONSTERS." Their mother starts off. The child burrows under their blanket, with only their eyes peeking out from underneath.

"One day, war broke out between the two races." The child gasps softly.

"Oh no!" they exclaim, shifting their position in bed, "Couldn't they have been friends and lived with each other peacefully? There is so much space in the world for everyone to live on!" The mother looks away for a moment, seemingly... hesitant to answer.

"Well, you will find out why that isn't possible when we get to that part," was all she said on the topic that night.

"Anyway... Ahem," the mother clears her throat, "After a long battle, the humans were victorious."

"They sealed the monsters underground with a magic spell," she narrates. At that, the child became excited again.

"Woah! So is magic real?" Their eyes became starry, looking at their mother for confirmation. She only chuckles.

"That," she pauses briefly, "is up to you. But, a long time ago, magic was most likely very real, and many, many monsters and humans wielded it with ease." The child seemed enraptured with the concept, with eyes that seemed almost as wide as saucers. They were definitely paying more attention to the story now, perking up and seeming more alert.

"Many years later, on the year 201X," The mother continues, gesturing with her hands as she spoke, "A human child decided to scale a nearby mountain labeled Mt. Ebott, which was more infamously known as the place where the monsters were sealed." The child's eyes widened, and they hugged their teddy tighter in anticipation.

"What happened?" They said softly, almost whispering, wanting to know more. "Did they find the monsters?"

The mother smiled. "Yes, they did. However, there was a legend that surrounded Mt. Ebott, which made it very well known in the local human villages that lived by the mountain," The mother put her hands in her lap, and, as if she had recited it a thousand times before, said, "Legends say that those who climb the mountain never return."

For some reason, there was a faraway look in her eyes. Nostalgic, almost, like she was recalling something from her past...

"Woaaah..." They trailed off, eyes shining. Then, they realize. "Wait, then..."

"They never returned home?"

The mother nods. "Sadly, they did not return home."

"Somewhere, high in the mountain, was a large cave. They had ventured inside, and that was where they fell, or 'disappeared'. Some say they only went inside because they were seeking refuge from the rain, but... I do not know that for sure," She trails off, but then shakes her head.

The child looks like they're about to say something, but they keep quiet, clinging onto Mama's every word.

The mother keeps going, "When they came inside, they found an enormous cavern with a large hole. They tried to take a closer peek into the hole, but as they did so, they tripped on some vines and fell into the darkness below."

"Oh no, I hope they're okay!" The child worriedly says, looking up sadly. The mother pats their head.

"Do not worry, they are alright. Although hurt, they were still alive, and had found themselves in the realm of the monsters. The Underground, as many call it," She closes her eyes for a second before nodding.

"What happens next, Mama?" They ask, brimming with unsaid questions. The mother only smiles and chuckles. 

"Well, you will find out what happens another time," she says, standing up from the bed. "For it is getting late, and you must rest now."

"Awww," the child whines, "but I wanna know more!"

"You can know more tomorrow, my child. But you must get your sleep, so you will have the energy for tomorrow," The mother hugs her child and flicks off the lamp.

They pout, but nod. They were getting pretty sleepy, even though they were very interested in the story. It was for the best.

"Okay..." They yawn, burrowing into their bed. "Good night, Mama..."

"Good night, little one." She kisses their forehead and turns around, walking to the doorway.

The mother turns around when she reaches the door, glancing once more at her child who was slowly getting sleepier and sleepier. She wordlessly smiles at them, and they slowly smile back.

Then, after a few more seconds, she quietly closes the door with a solid 'click!'.

There's a pause. Then, the muffled sounds of their mom's retreating footsteps reached their ears, getting farther and farther away from their bedroom door...

When the silence takes over the room, it's only then that the child realizes that there's a soft rain drizzling outside. There are small droplets pelting down on their window, gliding down the transparent surface of the glass...

As the child's eyes slowly close, they watch as the rain gradually gets heavier. Some glow-in-the-dark stickers light up their room, being their only source of light in the dark...

...

Well, even though they had Mr. Frenchie with them, they're...

...a little scared.

From underneath their blanket, they reach out a hand to their lamp and turn it back on. _Click!_

The light shines brightly through the room, giving them something to take solace in.

...They don't feel so scared anymore.

...

As they stare out the window, it doesn't take long for them to realize they can't keep their eyes open any longer.

So, they close their eyes.

...

"..If someone's climbing the big mountain, don't fall in any giant holes if you have to get out of the rain," they whisper. "...please."

Then, with that, they drift off to dreamland, hugging Mr. Frenchie in their arms to keep them company.

It's quiet, now...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol what is this.


	2. Start Menu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dealing with a tiny gremlin is hard.
> 
> No further comment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *A ["Start Menu"](https://youtu.be/tbzwrtwolso) appears in front of you.  
> *It says:  
> *"Name the fallen human."

It's dark.

Again.

Another night has fallen over the land. But tonight, the moon and stars aren't in the sky like they usually are.

The clouds have blanketed the areas in thick wisps of white, like a giant cotton blanket closing the world in a shield of fluff. There's not even a twinkle in sight.

Even the moon has to sleep sometime, and the stars have decided to tightly tuck the sky in. Without the glow of the moon and a giant barrier now hovering over the world, the night seems a little more... secluded.

Of course, it was still as alive as usual, but the noises were a little eerier without light there to accompany them. 

There was just something... foreboding, about the shadows lurking and dancing about underneath the shelter of the forest's leaves...

...

"It's a bit cloudy tonight," a voice mutters. "I wonder if it'll rain again?..."

The voice comes from a familiar mother figure hovering in front of a messy kitchen sink, soap on her gloved hands and water sprayed all over her worn apron. Her lips are pursed together in thought as she stared out the window, a distant look in her eyes...

"Maybe..."

She spaces out for a moment, the sound of the running water filling her ears. In that brief moment, foggy thoughts float around her mind, making themselves known, but not being voiced clearly.

She then blinks and shakes her head. "...Maybe it'll just be cloudy."

Slowly coming back to Earth, the mother gazed around her. The house was silent, save for the clanking of dishes behind her and the tap water pouring down the drain.

Turning the tap off, the mom sighs and looks down. There's a small pile of dirty dishes sitting inside the sink, which reminds her of what she was doing before. "Oh, yes. The dishes."

...

"...Well, these dishes won't clean themselves," she sighs, brushing some hair out of her face with her non-soapy forearm. "Now, where did I put the sponge...?"

She looks further down the sink and finds said sponge sitting at the bottom, forgotten and covered in foam. "Oh dear, I seem to have dropped it."

Picking it up again, she resumes her work.  
Which is namely, washing the dishes.

With grace, the mother picks up a plate and continues to scrub it until the surface of the porcelain shines brighter than the sun. After a short while of scrubbing, the woman lets the water run again and delicately rinses the dish off, watching the bubbles slide down the drain along with the soapy water.

After making sure it was squeaky-clean, she places it in a nearby dishrack to dry, nodding curtly, and proceeds to repeat this process with another plate.

A content expression settled on her face as she gradually made her way through the pile of dishes that had been leftover from dinner. 

Rinse, soap, wash, place in the dish rack. Still going, she pours some liquid soap on the sponge and picks up a coffee-stained mug, humming to herself. "Dum dee doo..."

There was something about this process that kept her at peace. There was nothing to worry or overthink about here.

All it was was just mindless cleaning and a peaceful night to go with it.

Almost done with most of the work, the mother puts away a plate and a few spoons before quickly clearing her throat. Taking a quick glance behind her back, she calls from across the house, "Child, are you finished with your food?"

Somewhere in the dining room, a noise of confirmation is heard. A small voice follows and says, "Waifht, I'm almosht done!"   
The voice seems to be muffled somewhat by something... chewy?

Before questions could even dare be asked, the sound of a chair scraping against the floor echoes through the house. Something jumps down on the floor, making its way closer to the kitchen...

"Mama! Mama!" The voice calls again, louder this time. The sound of tapping could be heard throughout the house, echoing from across the floor...

Suddenly, from around the corner, a messy-faced child makes their presence known. "Look! Look!"

With a big, bright grin, and a pair of eyes just shining with energy, they hurriedly make their way over to the woman, with a small plastic bowl, spoon, and fork bouncing about in their hold. The woman smiles at the sight, watching them hold up their items and giggle excitedly.

"I finished!" The child exclaims proudly, bits of food smeared all over their face. (And all over their clothes, as well.) 

The mother nods down at her child, chuckling along with them. "That is good to know. Did you eat everything?"

"Mmhmm!" They confirm, showing their bowl to her for proof. She peers inside... With a closer look, the colorful translucent dish seems to be licked clean. Literally.   
They seemed to be in a hurry to finish their food tonight...

The mother merely shakes her head and smiles at the sight of her messy little gremlin, lowering a hand. "May I have that?" The mother asks, softly motioning over to their plates.

Energetically, the child nods rapidly and hands them over, bouncing in place. Gently, the mother takes their dishes from their hands and places them in the sink, letting the water run for a little while longer.

As soon as they let go of their plates, they go and run off somewhere, seemingly very excited for something. The mother watches them scramble behind the hallway, excitedly letting out happy squeals that get fainter and fainter as they venture around the house.

After her child disappears behind the hallway, the mother turns back to the sink and the few remaining dishes inside it. 

"I'll clean this tomorrow. But first, I should let it soak," the mother mutters to herself, looking over the plates and the child's dishes sitting on top of them like a crown.

She places her hands under the running water and washes the gloves she was wearing off of any remaining soap suds and takes them off, making sure to turn the tap off before setting them aside.

Walking around the kitchen, she unties the apron around her waist and neck and carries it over to a wall hanger, hanging the apron up on the wall.

"That's enough for tonight," she yawns, flicking off the lights. The kitchen dims, and she tiredly shuffles out of the kitchen and down the hallway.

It was kinda cold tonight in the house. The slight chill of the air sent small shivers down her arms and spine, making her rub her arms to keep them warm.

Looking further down the dimly lit hall, she spots a warm light seeping out from underneath her child's bedroom door. She walks over to it, stopping in front of their closed-off bedroom. "Honey? Are you in there?" She asks through the wood, knocking on it lightly.

"Yeah!" Is the child's response. There's muffled shuffling coming through for a small bit, and then a sudden dull crash. There's a pause before the door creaks open, revealing the child holding another one of their stuffed toys in their arms. This time, it was a blue dinosaur with purple spots named Dandy. "Hi, Mama!"

The mother pats her child's head, ruffling it affectionately. "Hello, my child. Are you and Dandy ready for bed?" She asks, gently taking her child's hand and guiding them over to their now un-made bed. (Guess they must have tucked themselves in, but got out again.)

"Yeah! Dandy's ready for the story of the giant mountain!" They grin, hopping up and down as they walked. "Isn't that right, Dandy?" They ask their dino friend, clearing their throat.

Attempting a higher-pitched voice, they move their dino around with their hands as if it was speaking. "Yes, I am very excited! I can't wait for more stories!"

The mother giggles, but her eyebrows raise slightly. "Oh, are we continuing that story tonight? I thought you might have wanted a different one..."

"Well," the child starts, "Dandy heard it from Mr. Frenchy, who had told the entiiire toy box of the big mountain and the human who climbed it! Dandy told me that they were curious and wanted to know more!" They ramble on, almost toppling over from being overly hyper. 

The mother just smiles as she listens to them continue to blabber, then grabbing something from a shelf before leading them over to their bed.

"Dandy says that they would tell the others of the next part of the story! But, first!" The child halts, looking at their mom. "They have to hear the rest of it!"

"Hahaha," the mother grins, the corners of her bright eyes crinkling. "But first, we must clean that messy face of yours!" She sits her child down on the edge of the bed, revealing what she had grabbed from the shelf: a handkerchief!

She bends down to her child's level and wipes away at their cheeks and mouth, making sure to leave their face as clean as it could be. The child squeals and tries to resist, but does so in vain. "EEP! Mamah, nooooo!!" Their arms flail about, trying to avoid being smothered in cloth. 

The mother laughs, cleaning off the remaining amounts of the mess. "And..." She then delivers the final wipe of the now dirty handkerchief and smiles. "There, all clean! It wasn't that bad, was it?"

Once the mother pulls away from them and stands back up, half of their face has been tinted rosy pink from all the scrubbing.   
They try to pout, but giggle inadvertently and fall back into the soft cushions of their bed, looking up at their mom. "Hmmmm... Okay, maybe it wasn't that bad! But don't scrub too hard next time, please!"

The mother blinks. "Oh, did I wipe too hard? I apologize. Maybe I just wanted you to shine just like the plates I was washing earlier!" She gently taps the end of her child's cute little nose, making a small 'boop' sound. 

Their face lights up, just as bright as said plates. "Really?!" They exclaim, beaming.

She nods and smiles, patting their head. "Really," she replies.

Before they could break all the windows with their squeals of happiness (and possibly make everyone within a 50-mile radius deaf), the mother softly ushers them to lie down in bed with Dandy, smoothly diverting the topic to something else. "Now, you said something about a biiiig mountain, yes?"

"Oh, YEAH!" The child exclaims, eyes widening. "Wait, please!" They quickly scramble under their blankets, dragging their dino friend underneath with them. 

After a bit of trying to find a proper position, they pop their head out of the sheets and say, "Okay, I'm ready!", but realize a second too late that they're not facing their mother.

"Oops, I gotta-!" They then accidentally faceplant into their pillow. "Mmmph!-"

The child gains their bearings and then flip over as if nothing had happened. With an eager grin, they hastily tug the covers over themselves and looking up at their mother expectantly. 

The mother just sighs and smiles, sitting down at the foot of their bed and dusting off her dress's skirt. "Now, where was I?"

Immediately, they pipe up, "The human fell down! Into the home of the monsters!"

"The Underground?"

"Yeah! I forgot the name, haha..."

The mother laughs, pinching their cheeks. "That's alright, everyone forgets some things sometimes."

"Nooo!! Mamaaaaa, let gooo!!! You still have a story to tell!!!" They giggle and squirm, trying to stop their parent from squishing them.

"Ah, yes," She says, letting go of their cute little face. "Well... Hmmm..." 

For a moment, she ponders her next words, clearing her throat. Eyes shining, the child awaits the next part of the story, listening intently to their mother.

"After falling down, the first thing the fallen human saw was a dark room. It was quiet, but the chirping of birds above made them sit up and look around," The mother says, eyes closed. 

"When they looked up, they saw a large hole, resting high above the ceiling. Light shone down onto them, providing the only comfort they had in this unfamiliar world. And, well, in that room." 

"They stood up from a bed of golden flowers, a bit wounded from their fall. Luckily, the flowers seemed to have protected them from any further harm." She adjusted her clothes as she spoke, making sure she was all neat and tidy.

"That was very lucky! I can't think of how much that would hurt if the flowers weren't there!" The child says, holding Dandy closer and wincing at the thought. 

"You are right; it was very lucky. For if the flowers had not been there, they could have been hurt beyond just a mild bruise," The mother grimaces, but goes on.

"Now... Looking around, they realized that they had fallen. They could not recall much from before waking up, which was a bit of a problem. How did they get here? Why where they here?" She looks left and right, acting as if she were the human, pretending to be confused.

"All they knew at that moment was their name. Which was not much, but it was a start." Jokingly, the mother adds, "At least, if they met anyone down here, they could introduce themselves properly."

"It's a good thing that they know their name, then!" The child giggles. "...um, what's their name, Mama?"

"Their name?" The mother parrots, placing a hand to her chin. "Well... It has been a while since I've heard it, so I am not very sure. What was it?..." She starts muttering some words to herself, but shakes her head after each one, letting out a low, thoughtful hum... 

As the mother slowly pieces together a name, the child softly gasps at something and sits up, crawling over to their mother's side. 

"...Wait, I remember now!" The mother exclaims, "The fallen human's name is- Ah!" The woman is interrupted by her child suddenly shaking her arm, calling her name out loudly.

"Mama! Mama!" They say, letting the mother know of their presence. The mother jumps in her place, looking over to her currently hyper-active gremlin.

"Hmm? What is it, my child?" She raises an eyebrow at them, gently removing their grip and lowering their hands from her arm. 

The child seemed to struggle to find the words to speak, stars forming in their eyes. They take in a big breath before they finally blurt out, "Can I name them?! I know they have a name, but I want to name them!" They vibrate in place, pleadingly staring up at their mother for permission.

"Oh? Well, alright... In that case, what do you want to name them?" She picks her child up and sets them back into bed, snugly tucking them into the covers.

They think about it, but end up shrugging. "Uhhhh... I don't know, but I want to name them something!"

"Erm... Well, what about naming it after something you love?" The mother suggests, making sure her child is nice and comfortable in bed.

Almost immediately, they say, "Mama!"

"Yes?" She replies, confused.

"Mama, that's not what I meant... I meant, I want to name them Mama!" They roll their eyes at their mother, giggling.

Touched, the mother smiles wide, placing a hand over her heart. "Oh... Well, if you want to, you can name them Mama, but it would be a bit odd for a human to be named Mama, would it not...?"

"Oh, yeah, I guess so! They can't be named Mama, cause there's already a Mama in the world!" They hum to themselves, thinking hard. "Well, if they can't be named Mama, what should I name them? Hmmmmm..."

Meanwhile, Mama's face is currently shining with joy, smiling down at her child. Sometimes, they'd do things like this, and every time, it would always warm her heart. "Take your time, little one. There's no rush."

The child looks up and shakes their head, doing a little duckface. "It's alright, Mama! There's no need to wait! I already have a name for them!"

Curiously, the mother sets her hands in her lap and mirrors their expression. "Oh? Well, what shall they be named?"

"How about Flower?" They say. "The flowers saved them, so I think they could thank the flowers by remembering them like that!"

The mother pauses, but smiles again. "Very creative! However, take note that you cannot change their name throughout their adventure. Is that alright with you?"

They mull it over, then nod confidently. "Mmhmm! I am confident in their name!"

At that, she smiles and nods. "Okay," the mother closes her eyes, "the fallen human's name is now Flower." From underneath their bedsheets, the child tried to hide their grin that found their way onto their face when they heard the name they picked out for the human.

Their mom, just barely seeing their smile, snorted quietly and continued. "Through the dark, Flower finds a hallway hidden in the shadows, going over to the side." 

"They couldn't see it very well, but they were certain there was a hallway leading deeper into an unfamiliar place."

"Without anywhere else to go, they tread forward, finding a ruined doorway at the end of the tunnel..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> second chapter let's gooooo-  
> oh yeah, merry early christmas! there are now 5 days before the big day and im hyped for that, but i have no patience so instead of posting this on christmas i'm posting it now lol
> 
> fun little fact: i have thought of so many names for the fallen human during the process of making this chapter, but i keep on forgetting them so fLoWeR iT iS i gUeSs  
> it's probably better than all of the names i came up with before anyway LMAO


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